Kitchen Hack: Make Hummus in 3 Easy Steps

Hummus is one of the healthiest party dips out there. Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are packed with fiber, while protein-rich tahini (sesame seed paste) is bursting with mind-blowing super vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, vitamin E and vitamins B1, B3, B5, and B15.  Add some zesty garlic, lemon juice, olive oil  and salt, and you have a taste sensation – perfect with potato chips, carrot sticks or any kind of bread!

But did you know that you can make your own hummus for a fraction of the supermarket price?  With this kitchen hack, you can make hummus in 3 easy steps: just blend, transfer and garnish. Nothing could be easier, and nothing will impress your guests more than when you claim you have just  “whipped up” a batch of smooth, healthy, zesty hummus.
You need only 6 simple ingredients:

1. 1 clove garlic
2. 1 can chickpeas, drained (reserve a few for garnish)
3. 1 lemon, squeezed
4. 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
5. 2 tablespoons olive oil
6. salt and pepper

These blenders are amazing: every kitchen should have one!

You will also use a hand blender, sometimes called an immersion blender (see photo above), a mixing bowl or cup (most hand blenders come with a large smoothie-style cup, or a bowl as above), a fancy dish and a spatula (if you have one).
Ready? Here are your three steps:

1. Blend Your Ingredients

Using your blender, whizz up all the ingredients, garlic first. As you blend, feel free to add a little extra water, or some extra olive oil, until you get a smooth paste.  Don’t be nervous: hummus is really forgiving if your quantities are not exact. Don’t forget to add salt!

Garlic-hack: To avoid harsh garlic-breath, take the soft, green “dragon’s tongue” out of the middle of the garlic clove before using.

Chickpea-hack: tinned chickpeas are just as nutritional as dried and soaked chickpeas. Keep a few cans in your cupboard at all times.

Olive oil is a must-have for any kitchen hacker. Make sure you have a bottle on standby at all times.

Lemon-hack: to get more juice from a lemon, squeeze it at room temperature

Tahini-hack: store the unopened jar upside-down. This will displace the oil. Stir before using.

Don’t forget to add salt! Pepper is optional.

2. Transfer the Hummus

Using the spatula (or a spoon), transfer the hummus from the blending bowl into your best fancy dish- or your Mom’s fancy dish, or your roommate’s fancy dish. Anything that’s not an ashtray, basically.

3. Garnish the Hummus

Garnish with a big swig of olive oil (to be authentic, you can put a little olive oil pond right in the middle of the hummus), plus a few of the chickpeas you reserved. If you forgot to reserve the chickpeas, don’t worry! You can also garnish your hummus with some green stuff: parsley, cilantro – or even a celery sprig! Finally, sprinkle with a shake of spice. Paprika is best.

Hack Your Own Hummus

Once you have mastered the basic hummus, why not experiment with different flavors? Add chili sauce or Thai sweet chili sauce for some extra kick. Or how about a jar of sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers for a Southern flavor? Add harissa paste and lemon zest for a Moroccan boost, and for an Indian flavor, try cumin, turmeric or curry powder.  Some recipes recommend adding pesto and flat-leaf parsley for an Italian taste, or avocado and lime for a Mexican hummus-fiesta. You can see a few more ideas here.